Monday, April 17, 2017

Studio Tours Polly's Perfect Place

I was lucky enough to tour a really terrific studio where everything has it's place and is in it.
Meet my friend Polly in Maryland. She knits, quilts and does needlework.

She loves the long table in the center which is her
cutting table as well as gathering place for neighbors, bee mates and
large family dinners!

Her studio was originally a patio which she enclosed to become her 12' X
24'( I suspect it's larger than that) creative space.

The ironing center was another find at a scratch and dent sale.

She has a closet for asst other crafts and large fabrics, wrapping paper and other items such as a big bin for scraps.
She says it's for her old age projects!

The ladder holds quilts made by her grandmother, and herself. She prefers making traditional quilts and using patterns.She still works full time and wants quiltmaking to just be relaxing. Her next project will be using her Kaffe Fasset fabrics.

note: Polly houses her friend's long-arm and is able to use it too! Win win!!

The room holds 12 IKEA sliding drawer units like mine, stacked to make 6 rows, with flat units on top.

The first two rows hold knitting and needlepoint supplies. Then fabrics, and the last two rows are for asst notions.

The bottom two drawers hold supplies for her grand children to use in their own craft projects made at that grand center table.

She has one book case for knitting and needlework books, and another for quilting books. The magazine holders are labeled, and hold torn out pages she wants to keep together for future projects. Nearby is a comfy easy chair and good lamp.
She had small windows built along the ceiling line to let in light while not being too open to neighbor's eyes. It feels cozy and safe.

Look at the threads!!!

Polly said she was able to receive all of these for $35 because she took a Floriani thread class!

Again, win win.
Polly makes storage beautiful as well as organized.

The answers to my usual questions are here...

1. How long did it take to set up your studio?

20 years in my head so basically no time at all - but 2 days

2. Did you change or tweak it to work better? How?

Not really - have moved a piece of furniture around occasionally

3. Music, TV or no noise?

TV

Note: the decorative threads are in a display waiting for use! Pretty way to store them

4. Do you crave any snacks when working or stuck on a project?

Sure

5. Do you schedule work time or is it according to mood/inspiration more often?

Mood/Inspiration

6. Is there a machine, or tool you would like to have?

A long arm with a computer - I currently have a loaned one from a friend w/o a computer

7. What kind of sewing machine do you have? Iron? Lights? Satisfied with them??

2 Brothers and a Featherweight , Iron $9 from Kohls - plus a travel panasonic iron - Can lights in the ceiling and a flip light - yes

8. What do you like best about your studio? Least?

Love everything about it - no minus’

9. Messy or tidy?

9/ Very Tidy : >

Editor's Note:

And that's the truth. Very tidy and a place for everything. Her comment is if you have a designated place for everything it's easy to keep things put away.

I say I do not have enough space to designate a place for my supplies. I collected it all, like it all, use it, and want to keep it, so that's my problem to deal with lol.

Not every person is tidy, I am definitely able to work in constant chaos. I hope someone will allow us to see their messy studio sometime!!

Hope you enjoyed the tour, and can use some of her organizational methods.

15 comments:

LeeAnna, this is a fantastic studio. Thanks for sharing -- I'm picking up my long arm machine TOMORROW (!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and for the past week I've been frantically rearranging my studio to try to make room. Last night I reluctantly came to the conclusion that I have to pull out all of my home dec remnants, garment fabrics, and uncut patterns accumulated over the years and, as that Japanese organizing book dictates, if something does not bring me JOY, I need to let it go! :-)

That is a wonderful studio. I have lots of space and storage space in my current studio but I'm still not that good about having a place for everything and keeping things in their space. (I admit, I think I am getting a bit better at that though.) I've learned some of my own quirks -- the big one is I tend to leave whatever is left from a project on the cutting table, shove it aside and get going on the next project. Finally realizing it I found a box that I keep close by and I can just grab all the leftover detritus and shove into the box. Then as I need smaller pieces I rummage in the box. Sometimes I take some of the pieces out of the box and cut into usable sizes or toss unusable things. Thanks for the studio tour.

I envy envy envy her space! What a great studio. I think it is fantastic that she has a comfy chair in her room. I've wished for that in my room but alas, no space. Thanks for the inspiration LeeAnna! I"m enjoying these studio tours!

Such a pretty and well-organized space! I was just thinking today is the day to go do some cleaning and organizing in mine. I would always rather go play with fabric, but I might feel better about it if I do some work first, lol!

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